As the title says I'm looking for a complete speed/tacho/dash display for my 1098s. The screen has cracked and crazed on mine so desperately on the hunt to fix this really unsightly flaw. Cheers Paul (gremlyng)
Hi there, I saw that post over on the other forum and was pretty impressed with the repair job - I'm not a big fan of the Carbon surround on the dash if I'm honest, but I guess it's a damn sight better looking than a bunch of cracks. Great 'how to' by the way, I was a little confused on some of the finer details of how you sandwiched the acrylic and then if that got sealed to the old front surround or to the rear of the carbon trim, in which order if that makes sense. I'm guessing that the new screen is completely flat so it doesn't sit into the outline of the screen within the Carbon part?
Yeah - The idea is to buy a second hand unit and to take it appart to use the front surround and screen on my exisiting unit.
The new acrylic screen is the same shape as original. You heat it in a oven first to make it pliable , then it moulds to the shape of the carbon cover.
I got how you put the acrylic into the oven to soften it and could see that you bent up both sides to match the angles of the inside of the carbon surround, but where I have trouble understanding is how the acrylic sits down inside the outline / aperture of the carbon surround. The original lens is bevelled and sunk or recessed into the opening all away around the display outline by just a few mm. Or do you just butt the acrylic against the opening dead flat from behind with just the outer edges bent to match the profile of the carbon surround. My thinking is that if you were to heat the acrylic up to the point that it is pliable enough to make the tiny outline recess all the way around as per the original lens that you will distort the main part of the new screen. I can't figure out how you would form it that acurately without some sort of purpose made mould, using the original front to push against a heated piece of acrylic to force it to form and seat into the carbon surround seems really ambitious. I could see it working if you just butted the acrylic flat against the back of the carbon surround, so that effectively you'd have a slight step down to the new lens when looking and feeling it afterwards. If you look at this diagram it might explain what I am referring to better:
I think someone with a 3D printer could probably produce moulds to make an almost identical OEM lens which after clearing out the aperture of the front frame would sit back perfectly recessed into the orignal surround without the need to use the carbon overlay. This could be bonded into place and when reassembled would show absoultey no sign of the screen ever being replaced. Who ever takes / took the time to make these 3D moulds would effectively clean up! I'm sure most 848, 1098, 1198 owners would buy a couple each as spares. Even if If they were £60 each! Much chepaer than the current alternative. 20 owners at an average of £60 would see £1,200 in thier pocket!
I asked a local plastic company going back a few years about making a batch. The cost of making the part was very low, I can't remember exactly but £1.20 each for 1000 or something. There are 3 parts to the front so 3 moulds and that was the deal breaker, something like £12k. I doubt a plastic mould would stand up to any form of production. Just a diy one off job maybe. If you could separate the existing clear from the surround production might be viable assuming you are not stepping on any copyright toes or some legal guff.
That's the problem in taking it to a proper plastic company, it would entail expensive metal injection moulds to be made. (I used to work as a tool maker in a plastics factory) But perhaps a plastic mould from a 3D printer could be then moulded in plaster which would be far more durable and susceptible to the heat in the forming process. Kinda cottage industry as opposed to mass production. As for copyright, they can all jump off the Italia Viaduct head first! None of this would be even discussed if they did the decent thing in making the front housing available as a spare. It's crazy to think that Digitek would not have made the moulds and thought to make some spare front sections. I bet there are loads sat in a cardboard box in the corner of someones warehouse!
If I had access to a decent sized wire erosion machine, and a bench diamond grinder I could make some hand forming moulds out of plate steel. It would be pretty easy! By using the wire erosion machine the piece I cut out could be reduced in size to allow for the thickness of the acrylic lens and used as the former to get the screen pressed acurately into the mould! The depth of recess could be increased slightly to allow for the thickness of the original weld line that held the original lens in.
Ambitious Yes, and it works!! If you follow the comprehensive instructions you cant really go wrong. 50 odd quid for parts, its a no brainer imo.. and it wont crack again which a new screen off a doner dash might . Its not rocket science
I hope you don't think I was being critical or rude to you mate - You have done a great job. I just want to keep my screen looking 100% OEM. I'm personally not a fan of the carbon screen surround. If I cannot find a replacement unit for reasonable money I may well follow in your tracks, and I am very greatful for the fact you chose to share your methods etc...
Someone's just posted on here that they are selling one https://www.ducatiforum.co.uk/threa...ew-2007-ducati-1098s-parts.52728/#post-942127
